If He Was Alive
by Lunaverserocks
Summary: After Admiral Zhao attempted to defeat the Northern Water Tribe, Koori, his concubine, saves his life. Their journey continues when they face the cruelty within the Earth Kingdom. Request to read Being A Concubine To Master before reading story.
1. Saving Him

**I hope that you enjoy this depiction of Zhao's life after the Northern Water Tribe. As requested, you might want to read Being A Concubine To Master before you read this. You will be able to find that story, and the sequel (which follows the storyline) called Betrayal. Please enjoy.**

**I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

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Koori dived, never thinking, after her master. The current pulled her under and she could see his eyes becoming dull. She felt the tiny bubbled of air that floated to the surface and she screamed for him, exhausting her own lungs.

His eyes opened fully when he saw her floating beside him. The Ocean Spirit swiped, hitting her and cutting open her cheek. It batted at her and finally, the full figure appeared.

"Koori, your meaning for life is much deeper than this," he said.

Koori was facing the man. His long black hair encircled her and drew her into his body. The ornaments in his hair glinted against the waves. Koori's lungs were empty and the spirit shook his head.

When Koori woke from her unconsciousness, she looked around. The glassy blue walls that made a beautifully carved circle enveloped her. She heard his breathing. The groaning, short breaths of her master.

The tears came quickly. What had she just done? Had she violated the wishes of a spirit?

Her heart started to beat loudly and she leaned against the frozen walls. She put her hand over Zhao's mouth, just to be sure it was still warm and she gave a nervous laugh when she felt the heat. She pulled him closer and listened to the voices outside.

"We are unable to locate their leader, but the Avatar believes that we will see him no longer," she heard. Koori nodded her head. You will no longer see him, she thought

She heard a small groan and then she felt a hand grasp her chin.

"Koori," he whispered.

"Master," she whispered. "Please be quiet, they are still on the hunt for some firebenders."

He quieted and leaned against the frozen wall beside her. "If it is a fight they want…" her started, but then he looked at her face. It was badly bruised and bloody. Her eyes met his own and she shook her head.

"No more fighting, Master. We must find a way to escape without being noticed."

He looked around and crouched in the small tunnel. He started to firebend and Koori wanted to scream. His firebending was melting the tunnel and Koori grabbed his arm. He immediately stopped and Koori stuck her head out of the tunnel. Below them was a steep drop into the ocean surrounding the kingdom.

"Master," Koori whispered. He was listening intently to her. "If we throw large amounts of fire into the cave, the water that bursts out can be our cover."

"What are we going to do after we reach our water grave below?" he asked.

Koori continued to search. "There is a kayak that Prince Zuko used when he went into the Water Tribe. If we can find that, then we will be able to get out of here."

"You knew about that filthy piece of scum being alive?" he asked.

Koori stared at Zhao, knowing that it was not the time to tell him all of the misdeeds that she had done. She turned toward the darkness of the cave. "Are you ready?" she asked. He looked at her like he was going to rip her apart, but nodded. "On my count," she whispered. Zhao got into a stance, and Koori followed. "One." Zhao's breathing stopped. "Two." Koori sucked air into the pit of her stomach. "Three!" Both let out a powerful attack, which busted through the top of the pipe and brought water flooding into where they were standing.

"It wasn't enough," Zhao whispered. He heard the footsteps of the people above them and looked at Koori. He had never seen her look so frightened. She looked at him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. He looked at her with a tinge of compassion. She pushed him to the side of the tunnel and let out a powerful lightening attack. The water broke through the cracks and Zhao was taken out of the tunnel and into the dark blue ocean below. Koori followed him and hit the water with a delicate dive. She popped back through the surface, but was unable to swim. She caught a piece of ice and started to drift far away from the Northern Water Tribe. She wanted to shout, but knew that she would be found out.

She tried to wait for Zhao to return to the surface, but she could not find him. She crawled onto the top of the ice drift and kept looking. The sun was slowly slipping behind the large city and she lost hope. She bowed her head and cupped her hands. A small prayer came from her weather-torn lips and she opened her eyes. Small hazel slits were staring at her.

"You can't get rid of me that easily," Zhao whispered. Koori looked at him and noticed that he was in the kayak that Zuko had been in. She smiled and her lips started to bleed. "Are you coming?"

He ushered her to the tip of the kayak to sit on and she maneuvered herself off of the block of ice. She sat on the front of the kayak and Zhao covered her with the cape he had been wearing before his battle with Zuko. The edges were burnt, but the fabric was warm and would give Koori an added boost of warmth. Her back leaned against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. He held the oar in both of his hands once she was seated and paddled off into the dark ocean.

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Koori had fallen asleep in the safety of Zhao's arms. She woke up immediately when she felt a nudge against her leg. Her eyes followed the trail of ripples in the water. What had been nipping at her? She waiting for a while and saw that Zhao had fallen asleep in her shoulder. The oar was across Koori's knees and she grasped them. She started to paddle. The more that they paddled, the sooner they would be out of the ocean.

"You were not supposed to save him," the water whispered. "Do not anger the spirits."

Koori shook her head. "I angered nobody."

She continued to paddle and soon Zhao woke up. He watched her for a while and smiled when she grew tired. He grabbed the oar from her frozen fingers, startling her. Her face turned toward his and he placed the oar on her lap. He brushed his warm fingers through her hair and the ice melted. Koori managed a pale-faced smile and Zhao grinned.

"We have a large ocean to traverse," he said. Koori nodded. "Perhaps some conversation would keep the trip alive." Koori nodded again and Zhao cleared his dry throat. "Where did you learn to bend lightening?" he asked.

Koori stared into the dark water and thought carefully. "General Iroh taught me how to redirect lightening and how to make a spark. That was the first time that I actually developed a lightening bolt."

"What about Zuko?" he asked.

"I was the one that saved his life," Koori answered. She looked into his eyes and he threw her into the ocean. She gasped when she hit the icy water and he frowned. She had never learned how to swim, so she started to kick her feet as much as possible. Zhao's hand entered the water and he grabbed her collar. He pulled her head up and she shivered. She grabbed onto the side of the kayak and he grabbed her hands.

"Why?" he asked.

Koori was still shivering and could barely talk. "Ma…master," she whispered. Zhao watched her lips turn blue. "I…h-had toooo."

Zhao pulled her up onto the kayak with some difficulty. She sat on the front of the kayak, facing Zhao and rubbed some of the moist blood off of her face. "Explain before I leave you here," he said with a threatening tone.

Koori started to get warmer as her body began to firebend again. "I have no explanation for my actions," Koori said.

Zhao dropped her into the ocean once more and Koori kicked herself to the surface. She got angry fast and fired a large wave of fire through the kayak. The end fell off and filled with water. Zhao sank into the ocean and he fired a ball toward her direction. Koori ducked under the surface and opened her eyes. She watched Zhao swim toward her.

He brought her up to the surface. "You are a bigger idiot than I initially perceived!" he shouted, dragging her into the dark of the ocean.

Koori kicked him in the stomach. "No more, Master!" she shouted.

"No more?" he shouted back, splashing her with a wave.

Koori nodded as her lips shivered violently. "You are no longer going to be a respected leader in the Fire Nation. You have no more control over me!" Koori screamed out. She watched Zhao's facial expression and dipped her head into the water. She was struggling in the water and Zhao knew that he had never taught her how to swim.

He watched her struggle with a gleam in his eye at first and then he realized that she was the holder of his heir and he grasped her arm. He drug her to the surface and she gasped for air. He waited and then looked around the vast ocean while she coughed for air.

Koori looked around and found another chunk of ice. She pointed toward it and Zhao swam. She had her hands clasped around his shoulders and he pushed her onto the chunk. Once she was on top of the block, she reached down for him. He ignored her hand and pushed himself up. He ignored her while she planted her feet into the ice and lit up her hand into a beautiful glowing red. She then put as much energy as she could into her hands and leaned down toward the water. The block of ice started to move in the opposite direction she was firebending.

Zhao watched her and it took two days to get to the Earth Kingdom shores.

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**Please review. I would like to know if I should continue this depiction. Please give me hints on who I should introduce as well. :)**


	2. The Past

**Thank you to all who reviewed. This story goes out to the people who love Leo. Thank you!**

**I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

Koori and Zhao arrived at the Earth Kingdom shoreline around midnight. Koori and Zhao had switched off and on when firebending their block of ice away from the Northern Water Tribe. Once on shore, they split and searched for firewood. Zhao had still not talked to Koori since they had both tried to kill each other in the middle of the ocean. They created a quick fire and sat across from each other, staring at the flames and getting warm. Zhao had lost the cape he had worn in the ocean after Koori had destroyed the kayak and he took off his armor. He threw the armor into the forest, hitting the trees surrounding them with a terrible force that made Koori cringe.

He was angry, and Koori could understand why. She had told him that he was no longer an Admiral. Both knew that in the Fire Nation's eyes, he was a failure to the Fire Lord and would not be welcomed back into the Fire Nation. Koori's heart was torn when she attempted to look at him. She could never get past his chin and constantly felt his eyes upon the brow of her forehead.

They continued to stare at the fire with Zhao still seething. He was in his black underclothes and Koori knew that it would be bad if somebody caught them. They would automatically know that they were Fire Nation, because they could keep themselves warm. Koori nuzzled into the kimono she had been wearing. She knelt back into the sand and clasped her hands together. She placed them under her head and stared at the flames.

Zhao's breathing got slower and Koori knew that he was falling into a forced sleep. His body was shutting down slowly, but he knew that he needed rest. Finally, he mimicked Koori's actions and fell asleep. Koori turned her eyes toward the sky and watched the stars, waiting for an answer to some unknown question. She waited, and finally, the dim light from the stars put her into a dark nightmare.

_Zhao walked the halls, unable to board his passage to the Northern Water Tribe because of the shift in the tide. He walked, roaming at first and then wondered what Koori was doing. He shifted his stance and turned around, glancing down the hallway at troops preparing for battle. He marveled them. He had all of these people under his command, and in one raise of his arm, they could all be killed. He smiled grossly to himself and then stared at his doorway. _

_The door was partially open and he could hear small sobs and whelps protruding the silence. He then heard a voice, a man's voice and placed his hand on the cold steel door. He looked through the crack and barged in, attacking Akira head-on with a full out firebending assault. Akira dodged half of this assault but licked his lips and then smiled._

"_I was wondering when you would come back," Akira said, grinning as he balanced on his un-burnt knee. "She's feisty. I like her," Akira commented, shifting his gaze to Koori's pale and bleeding body._

_Zhao finally looked at her. Her head hung over her shoulders and she was bleeding from her hands. A knife lay only a few feet away and Zhao reached for it. Akira smirked._

"_Don't you like my handiwork?" he asked, sneering and then wincing in pain._

_Zhao clenched the knife in his hand and then it started to melt in his grasp. Akira smiled and then stood from his kneeling position. He hobbled over Zhao and then struck him with his fist across the face. Zhao staggered backward and then grasped the wall behind him. Akira had started to walk toward Koori and he took her head in his hands. Her eyes opened intently and she waited for his coarse hand to get close to her mouth. Zhao stared._

_As Akira ran his hand down the side of her face she jumped up and bit deeply into his arm. He jumped back, dragging Koori with him and she continued to hold onto him, never letting go of the flesh that had tormented her. Zhao watched as Akira started to punch her wherever he could reach. Koori's face was buried into his arm and Zhao took this opportunity to attack Akira._

_He kicked Akira alongside the head and Akira stopped moving. Koori was still biting and finally, Akira collapsed on the ground. With her teeth still clenched around the arm of the man, she could feel his blood flow slower until finally she could feel faint pulsations. Zhao touched Koori's head lightly and she opened her compressed eyelids. A calm face was staring at her and he then grasped her waist and lifted her off of her attacked._

"_Are you okay?" Zhao asked. Koori looked at him and then gave up. She wrapped her arms tightly around his chest and burrowed into it, sobbing. He slowly wrapped his arms around her frail body and stared at the person who had caused hell to unleash itself upon Koori._

_Koori remained with him until his departure. He had ordered his room cleaned and he took Koori to what used to be her room. Koori had sat on the bed and started to close her eyes. Zhao smiled at her when she finally fell asleep. Her eyes were blotched with tears and her breathing had eased. He touched her head and her eyes opened and she pushed him away and bolted into a firebending pose. _

_Once she saw who had touched her, she sat on the floor and begged for forgiveness. He took her up in his arms and hugged her. She felt safe and then drifted slowly to sleep. She laid down on the bed with her hands being used as a pillow and her feet planted on the floor. She looked like she had been sitting upright and then fell asleep quicker than she wanted to. Zhao paced the room silently. His metal boots made clacking sounds against the steel but it seemed to put her at ease. With his boots, she knew that she was being watched and taken care of._

_A knock at the door woke her from her slumber. "Admiral Zhao," a voice on the other side said. "I am here to take Koori for you."_

_Koori shook her head. "Master," she mumbled. "Please don't leave me." Zhao looked at her with pity in his cold eyes._

"_I ordered Lueitenant Leo to take you to the Northern Water Tribe with me. He will be protecting you. He will not let anybody touch you, okay?" Zhao said, cupping her chin delicately. Koori nodded her head and then looked to the floor. She stood from the bed and Zhao opened the door to let Leo inside._

"_I shall let nothing happen to Koori," Leo whispered to Zhao. Zhao nodded and the three exited the room. Koori turned back one last time to look at the room she would never see again. She remembered her dream and then looked at Zhao. _

_He had his back turned away from her and he was staring at the darkness of the hallway in the distance. He was frowning and Koori continued to stare. How long had she kept this secret from him? He was going to die and she kept the one man who had saved her from death in the dark. She quivered and Leo looked at her. She turned her gaze away from Zhao and then proceeded to gaze into the future that the hallway created._

_Iroh welcomed Zhao and Leo to the platform where they would embark on a jouney that would kill many of them. Iroh was not expecting Koori to be with Zhao and then smiled at her. She did not smile back to him, she merely closed her eyes and then looked at the floor. Iroh knew that something was wrong. He had intended to take a walk past Zhao's corridor before the journey to the Northern Water Tribe but he had taken up a game of Pi Sho with a young soldier instead. Iroh inspected Koori closely. One of her arms was quivering and then he noticed the bandages and then the amount of blood that covered them._

"_Zhao," Iroh boomed. "Koori is bleeding," he said, whispering because he had caused so much attention. Zhao shushed Iroh politely. _

"_Koori had an unwanted visitor this afternoon," Zhao said simply. "There is no need for further questioning. I have taken care of the issue."_

_Koori looked at Iroh and then gave a half-smile that told Iroh everything. He nodded and then prepared to board the tiny vessel that was planning on taking them into the heart of the Water Tribe. Koori wanted to hug Iroh but could not bring herself to touch another man. She wanted to grasp Zhao and tell him that he would die if he went on this mission. She remained quiet and still, waiting until the ship left the platform. The air was cold and Koori's breath felt like a steamy shower on her skin. She shivered and Leo headed off into the darkness of the hallway once more._

_Koori followed him for some time until he stood at the side of the boat, unaware that she was still with him. He looked out into the black snow and sighed._

"_I sometimes wonder why I joined the Navy," he admitted. Koori looked up at him. She had never seen him look so sad in her entire life. His eyes were droopy and his facial features were sunken in. He felt the cold steel and then looked at Koori. "The only reason why I stayed with Zhao was probably to make sure that you were safe." He was looking straight into Koori's eyes and he gave a faint smile. "There was always something in you that reminded me of my daughter."_

_Koori looked to the ground and then opened her mouth. "You told me about her before. She is around my age, right?"_

_Leo smiled because she had remembered a talk from so long ago. "Yes, she is around your age and just like you."_

_Koori looked down the hall a bit and noticed a faint outline of a soldier. She stiffened and then Leo noticed him. He regained his usual composure and continued to walk down the hall. Koori followed diligently until he stopped. "This is what we will be going to the Northern Water Tribe in," he said, pointing to a small steel boat much smaller than the one Zhao had boarded earlier._

"_Are we boarding now?" Koori asked in a whisper because more men had lingered into the room. Leo merely nodded his head and Koori stepped onto the vessel._

_She watched in fascination as ropes and chains pulled the vessel up. It was drug to the side of the boat and the wall opened, releasing cold air into the room. The small ship was then pushed out of the boat with a rail that extended the proper distance out of the side. The small boat was then lowered into the icy water and Koori watched the mechanism retreat back into the warmth of the boat. The hatch shut tightly and let out a cloud of steam. Koori relaxed when the waves pushed against the boat gently. This was the feeling that she was used to, on a smaller boat when she could feel the waves lap against the sides, pushing and pulling in balance._

_Koori's eyes had closed and then Leo touched her arm. She jumped a little and his kind eyes told her that he understood. She followed him into a chamber and sat on a stool._

"_This is the most excruciating part of battle," he said, rubbing his eyes with a gloved hand. Koori looked at him with question and he continued. "Waiting." Other men in the room nodded their heads. _

"_But isn't this what you enlisted for?" Koori asked. Leo shook his head._

"_I enlisted to keep the peace. Sometimes I feel that we are doing more harm than good," a soldier in the corner of the room whispered. Koori looked at him._

"_The purpose of this war was to spread our generosity to other villages. We learned so much and created a lot of things, but the truth of it is," Koori was finally saying what she thought of the war in front of a mass of soldier bearing the insignia that she had grown to hate. She stopped and then sat down next to Leo._

"_What were you gonna say?" another soldier from across the room asked._

_Koori looked at him. "You really don't want to hear my opinion."_

_The surrounding men started to nod their heads. "Koori," Leo said. "They would like to hear what you have to say."_

_Koori looked up and notice that all of the men looked at her with curiosity. "Nobody on this earth wants us to share our intelligence. They want to discover it on their own. There is no reason to start a frivolous war if nobody wants to partake in it. Even the nation that we live in has second thoughts. Look at all of us, we are all Fire Nation born and we are hesitant."_

_A few of the men looked to the ground. Koori could not tell if they were disgusted in themselves or if they wanted her to stop revealing the truth behind the war. She stood from her chair and clenched her bloody hand. "We should still fight today," Leo said, standing and smiling. "But maybe we should think about who we should fight against."_

_Koori looked at Leo. "Fight for the Fire Nation and bring destruction, or fight against them and bring hope," Koori whispered._

_Most of the men had taken off their helmets while she was talking. They were all middle-aged men and they looked devastated. Koori smiled. "Perhaps if we choose the right thing, good things might happen for us," Koori said. Once she finished her statement, she fell forward because the small vessel crashed into the wall separating the Northern Water Tribe from the rest of the world._

_Several men caught her from falling flat on her face and she turned red. She quickly thanked them and the hatch that led out of the boat, opened. The men stared at it. Koori stared at it too and then pulled herself toward it. Leo followed and soon the rest of the crew was out of the boat, attacking various buildings filled with Fire Nation soldiers. Koori was stunned at their actions. They had turned quickly against what they had been taught their entire life. Leo stared, but did nothing about it. Koori figured that he felt the same way._

"_Admiral Zhao did not want you to go with him because he entered at a place that was highly guarded. By now," he looked at the sun and smirked, "by now, he should have made it to his desired location."_

_Koori nodded. "I believe that he is going to kill the moon spirit and destroy the balance that this world has," Koori said. Leo continued to walk and then picked up his pace when he heard her say that._

_He should know better than to kill the moon spirit, we are in the middle of the ocean…things are bound to go wrong," Leo said, clenching his hands._****

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**Please review!**


	3. The Marketplace

**Thanks for all of the reviews. I would like you guys to tell me what you think at the end of the chapter!**

**I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Thanks.**

Zhao woke up earlier than Koori and he moved around noisily. Koori woke up and understood why he was angry. She moved toward him and tried to grab for his arm. He pulled away and he grunted when she pulled her arm back. He stared at her, wondering why she had grabbed him. He sat down in front of the small fire in front of them.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I did not mean the words that I said. It was not my place to talk that way."

Zhao nodded his head. "You're right; it was not your place to say that." His small eyes pierced her soul and she started to crumble on the inside. "But," he continued as she looked back at him. His arms were behind him as he leaned against the ground. His fingers were separated and splayed carefully in the dirt. He was deep in thought and turned his attention to the sky. "We can never return to the Fire Nation ever again because of my failure."

Koori's body shook with a chill. "But, Master," he looked at her. "You don't know if the Fire Lord will welcome you or not."

He let out a steamy breath. "We will not have a chance to find out. We are going to go to Omashu."

Koori held her breath in and then thought. "Ba Sing Se would be better, Master," she said.

Zhao glared. "Ba Sing Se is out of the question," he said.

Koori looked to the dirt. "But it is the stronghold of the Earth Kingdom. The walls that protect the borders have never been infiltrated. Only General Iroh has ever actually gotten through one of the walls. You even told me that Omashu was going to be infiltrated soon!"

Zhao slapped her. The blood that had healed on her lip broke open and started to fill the crevices of her lips. She faced her head to the ground and he stopped moving.

"We are not going to Ba Sing Se," he said.

Koori looked at him. "Why not?"

"I do not have to answer to you," Zhao said. "My decision is final."

Koori wiped her lips against her cold hand. She leaned against the ground with her hands as Zhao was and gave a threatening smile. "You're hiding something from me," she whispered.

Zhao threw a rock at her. She caught the rock and dropped it beside her. They stared at each other for a long time until Zhao laid back and started to fall asleep. Koori continued to stare at the fire. She noticed that the center of the fire was a mixture of black and blue. She put her hand over the flames and sighed. She felt the fire lick her skin and then find that it tasted bad. The flames burned her and she removed her hand. Her hand healed and she shook her head. Is this what I am to live for, she asked herself.

Koori woke to Zhao stomping the cinders with his boot. She reached over, touched the pile of black firewood and it instantly cooled. The red cinders died by turning a mixture of black and silver. Zhao nodded at her and she stood.

They continued to travel the forest and broke through the forest wall around noon. Koori and Zhao stared at a marketplace and both looked at each other. Something popped into Koori's mind.

"Master," Koori said. His attention reverted to her. "We could less suspicious if we were to get some new clothes. People will know that you are a firebender because of the flimsy material you are wearing." Koori looked down at herself. She was still dressed in one of Zhao's nice kimonos and it had never received serious damage during their travels.

Koori looked at him for an answer. He shook his head and pointed to the other side of the village. "There is a laundry line," he said. "We will both steal some clothes, and then trade in your kimono for a few supplies."

Koori and Zhao ran the edge of the forest until they got to the laundry line. They looked across the field of green cloth and looked at each other. Zhao nodded and they both ran through the lanes. Koori grabbed a few articles that she thought would fit and ran back to the forest edge. She waited for Zhao and found an old man sleeping under a porch. He was leaning against the post waiting for the clothes to dry. Zhao appeared behind her and he moved deeper into the forest. He started to lay clothes overtop of his undergarments and Koori took off her kimono.

Zhao finished placing the green and brown clothes on and stared at his slave. Koori had her shirt off and the bandage bra matched the white of her skin. She pulled a green shirt over her head and pulled a brown and green coat over that. She pulled the pants of the kimono off and folded them. The coat that she had on went to her thigh, so her underwear was not showing. She knelt down and placed the delicate kimono pants on a tree stump under the top. She pulled her pants on and then pulled boots out of nowhere. She laced them and tied them with Zhao's quick fingers.

"Thank you," she said.

Koori walked with Zhao to the market and they entered calmly. Koori had never seen a marketplace and was automatically curious about the venders and the products that they advertised. Many people were interested in the bundle that she was carrying. At first, most people took it as a child being protected from the cold, but Koori would shake her head and say that they were planning on selling it. They were travelers and did not need such ornate clothing. Most people believed them, but others strayed away, thinking that they were thieves.

Zhao arrived at the stand that distributed clothing and paused, waiting for Koori to catch up. She was by his side immediately as soon as she saw him waiting. He allowed her to walk in first and then they watched a busy little man scurry about his tent. Koori watched in fascination at first while he placed hats on some pegs and them moved around them to fix the various shirts and undergarments. Zhao rang a bell on the counter to get his attention. He immediately stopped and fixed the glasses on his face.

"OH! I didn't see you there!" he shouted while his spectacles quickly traveled down the bridge of his nose and landed at the end. He pushed them back up, but he looked awkwardly at Zhao. "What can I help you with?" he asked, looking straight into Zhao's eyes. The little man was trying to figure out what nation Zhao was from.

Zhao gestured toward Koori and she handed him the kimono. The shopkeeper looked over the fabric with his glasses in his hands and admired the stitching. "What a fine piece of work you have here," he said. "It's fit for a Lady." Zhao nodded and Koori wondered how much he paid for both of the kimonos.

"I'm looking to get top price," Zhao whispered to the buyer. He looked at Koori. "Why don't you go look around the store. I'm sure this fine gentleman will let you browse."

The man nodded his head vigorously and Koori went over to inspect the green merchandise. Zhao and the man haggled and Koori only heard bits and pieces of their conversation. Finally the man relented and gave Zhao a bag. Zhao pocketed the pouch and handed the man the kimono. He took it carefully and cradled it in his arms as if it were a newborn. Zhao and Koori left the tent and went into several others. At each tent, Koori was told to browse while Zhao did the haggling. She was obedient and let him do his shopping. Finally, when the sun was setting and when they were finishing their shopping, Zhao stopped and counted the money he had left.

He had bought an ostrich-horse, a bag which was now filled with foodstuffs, other bags which were filled with medical supplies, food for the animal, a tent, equipment for fire tending (which they only bought for show) and a small compass. Koori had been carrying the reins of the ostrich-horse and gave him proper attention. She petted his beak and stroked his long feathers. Zhao threw one last pack over the beasts' haunches and he stepped into the saddle. Koori waited for Zhao to get comfortable and then he pulled her up. The animal was kicked in the side and went into a quick jog.

Zhao and Koori rode the beast the remainder of the day and once daylight was gone, they got off of the beast and set up camp. Zhao put the tent up while Koori collected firewood. Zhao placed the spark rocks by the campfire and Koori grabbed them. She cracked them together and Zhao watched her for a second.

"Those are for show. Firebend," he ordered. Koori lit up her hand and then the wood came to life. It burned a brilliant orange and she went to help Zhao. The tent looked decent, but it would let the rain in if the weather decided to change. Koori altered a few things and then they finished putting up the green fabric. Zhao sat down at the fire with a frying pan and some rice. He dumped what was in the water canteen into the pan and the rice bubbled over the fire. Koori took out some oats for the ostrich-horse and stretched her hand toward the tired beast. It nibbled at the oats and then gorged. Koori gave him three handfuls and then returned to the fire. The beast laid down and Koori watched Zhao stir the horrible concoction that he was making.

"Master," Koori whispered. Zhao didn't look up and continued to stir. He grunted and Koori knew that he was listening. "What is that?" she asked.

The rice had melted into the water and became slush. The water was faintly clear, but the rice had altered it. Koori could only imagine what it would taste like. Zhao smirked. "They taught us how to make this in the Fire Nation Academy for the Navy," he said, stirring the pot. "It's called jook. It tastes horrible, but it is cheap and is easy to make."

Koori stared and started to go through the purchases that Zhao had. He had bought some spices and Koori looked through them. She remembered what some of Zhao's books said about the spices and the dangerous herbs that were in the forests and whispered what the spices would taste like. She picked a spice that would taste like a chicken-monkey and sprinkled the flakes over the jook. The smell wafted into the air and Zhao's demeanor changed. He started to smile and then grabbed the spice from Koori's hands.

"I never thought of adding this," he whispered. Koori grasped the top of the spice and attached the lid. Zhao let it go and she placed the spice back in the pack by the fire.

"Should we name him?" Koori asked. Zhao looked up after tasting the jook.

"Who?" he asked.

"The ostrich-horse," Koori said. "It would be suitable if we were to give him a proper name."

Zhao thought. "Perhaps," he said.

"Any suggestions?" Koori asked.

Zhao stared at the beast and smiled. "Mule."

Koori shook her head. "That's a horrible name, Master. What if you were named 'Mule'?"

Zhao continued to stare and then smiled again. "We should name it Chikyuu. Probably Kyuu for short."

Koori thought about the name and deemed it worthy.

Koori woke the next morning before Zhao. She stared into the darkness of the tent and rubbed her stomach. Zhao had his arm under his head on the other side of the tent. He had not touched her at all during the night and it worried her. She turned her head toward him but his face was toward the other side of the tent. Koori started to get up but Zhao caught her arm. He said nothing but his face explained everything. He sensed that there was somebody outside.

He moved silently and motioned for Koori to sit back down. She did and his fingers grasped the opening of the tent. His attire worried Koori. He was dressed in his flimsy underclothes and she knew that whoever was out there would suspect he was a firebender. Koori waited once he left. She could hear no movements and then she heard Kyuu squawk. Her ears quivered and Zhao came back into the tent. He shook his head and stared at her through the shaded sunlight.

"I could have sworn that something was walking around out there," he said. "Did you hear anything?" Koori shook her head and then he started to put on more clothes. He tied his boots and then opened the flap of the tent again. "Don't move. I'll go search for some firewood."

Zhao left and Koori started to put on the boots that she stole from the old man guarding the laundry. She exited the tent and there was a man in dark green sitting at the fire, staring at her.

"I've been on your tail for a while now. Waiting for that old idiot to leave really pissed me off," he said.

* * *

**Please review! :)**


	4. Jet

**I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. I may wish it, but it won't happen.**

Koori stared at the man and turned toward the forest. She noticed that he was her own age, maybe younger. Her body was still tense because she did not like to be with strangers alone. She could not see Zhao anymore and suspected that he went deep into the forest for some decent firewood. Her skin quivered when he gave a low whistle. She could feel his eyes on her flesh and twitched her head toward him. He was looking at all of the contours of her body and was smiling. Her spine shuddered and he noticed.

"Cold?" he asked. Koori did not acknowledge him. If she kept her distance and did not aggravate him, she would not be hurt. Her heart had started to beat quickly and she could not feel Zhao's persistent heat in the air. "Are you going to answer me?" he asked. She turned to look at his ugly smile. "I asked if you were cold."

She could not stare at him for that long. He had a smug smile. His hair was black and Koori could only assume that he was Earth Kingdom. He was dressed in his own type of armor. It consisted of an odd breastplate and some hollow shoulder guards. One shoulder pad was a dirty golden color and it caught her attention. He was sitting on the ground confidently and just waiting. He whistled again, but this time, a return whistle could be heard. He fumbled with the twig in his mouth and stood from the dirt. Koori spayed her arms for an attack. The boy seemed to be confused. Koori's defense was odd for most people. She was using the method that Zhao taught her and she could tell that the boy was laughing on the inside.

He took a step toward her and she stepped back. He stopped moving and patted the swords at his side. "What's wrong with you?" he asked.

Koori's hands were still in her defensive position. She turned her attention to the forest, where she could feel Zhao's heat. She did not say anything to him but could feel Zhao moving closer. She started to think about what would happen after Zhao found the intruder. She grabbed the tree behind her.

"You had better leave. He is coming back and will be angry when he sees you," Koori said. She was warning him but he wouldn't listen. He pulled his swords out and Koori stared at the curved blades. She quivered when she felt Zhao break through the forest wall. She had her back turned toward him but could feel the heat rise in his body.

"Who are you?" he asked. The boy stood still and Koori moved closer to Zhao. She waited while Zhao pushed her behind himself and then went up to the boy. The boy tried to run away but Zhao caught his golden shoulder plate. He threw him to the ground and stepped on his stomach. He held him there and turned to Koori. "Did he hurt you?" he asked.

She shook her head and the boy tried to fight Zhao off. "Get offa me!" he shouted. The kid grabbed for his twin swords and Zhao ripped them out of his hand. He threw them toward Koori and she grabbed them.

"What's your name, kid?" Zhao asked.

The boy spat at Zhao. "Jet!" he shouted. "You'd better get off of me, my troops are coming soon." He whistled again and Zhao shoved a handful of dirt in his mouth.

Zhao looked at Koori. "Grab Kyuu and go south. Come back in an hour," he told her. He looked directly into her eyes. "You come back, you understand?" he asked.

Koori nodded her head, knowing that she would not survive without Zhao. She headed deep into the forest with the frightened animal. Kyuu only stopped when he was exausted. He paused for a moment to let Koori off, and then collapsed. Koori cradled his head. "I'm sorry, Kyuu," Koori whispered. "This seems to be the way our lives are heading."

Koori and Kyuu sat on the ground for a while and Koori looked up into the sky. She knew that her time limit was nearing a close and she grabbed the reins of Kyuu. He snorted at first and Koori patted his nose. She pressed her forehead against his own and he took a deep breath out. "Just a little jog, Kyuu," Koori pleaded. The animal turned and Koori stepped up into the saddle. He sprinted toward the campsite. Koori stared when they entered the small clearing. There was no longer a tent, a smoldering fire, or any of the supplies. Koori stared at what was left. Zhao had told her to come back, where was he?

Thoughts burst throughout Koori's head and she focused on one. The boy had said something about a bunch of other troops, had Zhao been overpowered and taken captive?

Koori stared at the ground and dismounted from Kyuu. The animal sniffed the ground after realizing that Koori's blood pressure rose out of fear. He groaned and Koori stared. She realized that the animal might have a better nose for tracking than she previously thought. "Can you smell him?" Koori asked. Kyuu groaned again and turned his body so Koori could get into the saddle. She did as the animal wanted and instantly, Kyuu headed into the forest, sprinting.

He slowed down after a while and Koori understood why. The scent was getting stronger, and Zhao was sure to be around the corner with his captors. Kyuu finally stopped completely and pointed his nose in the direction of a thicket. Koori stared and dismounted. She crept silently toward the large bushes and made her way through them. Nobody was behind the bushes, but there was some rope and wood on the ground. Koori grasped the rope that extended into the air and looked up. She stared at the large tree house and gave off a childish smile. She had always wanted a tree house when she was small and living with her parents.

Her mind returned to reality. Zhao was in those trees, being held prisoner. She focused and grabbed the rope firmly with both hands. She began to climb up the rope slowly because she had never done this type of physical activity before. Years of being confined in a room was not paying off.

She made it to the top and stared at the boy who had invaded her camp. "I was wondering when you would get here, firebender," he said.

Koori stared. "Give me him back!" she shouted. The boy stared.

"Wasn't he your Master?" he asked. "We saw you in the marketplace the other day and you kept calling him that. We just set you free. We were going to invite you into our group before we found out that you were one of _them_."

Koori was startled. "I'm a firebender, so what?" she said.

The boy grabbed his swords that Koori had ditched a while ago in the forest. He held them up with the sharp blade pointed directly at her throat. "Firebenders killed my parents. It's my duty to get rid of all of you barbarians."

**Sorry this chapter was so short guys. The next one will be longer and I plan on typing it up tomorrow night. Please review because your reviews will determine when I post it. :)**


	5. Snow

**I need some ideas. Please and thank you, Luna.**

**I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

Koori stared at the boy with the swords. He was obviously a master swordsman to have taken Zhao down and Koori took in a large gulp of her own saliva. He pulled his swords down and distanced himself from the freed slave. His stance shifted and he whistled. Koori waited, but kept herself alert in all directions. She tried to look around as much as possible, and then a green curtain on the far wall opened. Zhao was tied and gagged. Koori could see that his eyes were covered with rags and there were piles of cloth attached to his ears, preventing him from hearing anything. Koori stared at her Master and looked back at his captor.

"How dare you tie my Master up like some common beast," Koori said, whispering. She was angry, and she did not know why. The boy merely stared and then started to laugh. His laugh was coarse and creepy. Koori's skin started to tingle while the horrible sound vibrated off of the wooden walls.

He held up his swords and Koori's eyes became tiny slits. She was glaring and finally took a chance to attack. He stepped back and Koori slammed herself against the wall of the tree house. She broke through the wooden braces and the boy attacked her from behind while she wasn't paying attention. He grabbed her hair with a free hand and threw her to the ground in front of Zhao's knees. Koori was on her stomach and she could hear the boy's swords 'whooshing' behind her. She reached up and touched Zhao's knee and his covered eyes looked at her hand. He started to struggle more now, since he knew that his slave was there. Koori heard the boy get closer and she rolled over onto her back and away from Zhao just as his swords slammed down onto where she had been laying.

Koori jumped off of the ground and ran toward the boy. He attacked her with his swords and Koori dodged most of the slices. He caught her cheek and sliced it as she passed him and Koori fell onto her knees. The boy started to walk toward her, swinging his swords around his body. Koori waited until he was close.

He started to talk and Koori only heard a few choice words. "Filthy firebender, you will face the same fate as my parents," she heard.

Koori moved her feet out from under herself so quickly that she almost didn't recognize that she had pushed him down onto the ground. He hit his head on the hard wood below him, but Koori still jumped onto his chest, grabbed his swords and tossed them across the room. She stared at him as he roused and readied her fist. She punched him squarely in the jaw and watched his eyes roll back into his head. Koori waited for a few seconds and then jumped off of the boy. She ran over to Zhao and untied his hands first. He tore off the coverings on his face while Koori untied his legs.

Zhao grabbed Koori and threw her over his shoulder as he grabbed the rope that Koori had climbed up. He grabbed the rope and wrapped his leg around it for balance. He lowered himself down while Koori gripped tightly onto his neck and shoulders. They reached the ground and Koori saw two people watching behind them. Koori looked at the young man and what she thought was a girl. Zhao lit the end of the rope on fire and turned around. He looked and readied himself like he was about to attack them, but Koori held her feet firm and held out her arm to prevent Zhao from moving forward.

The boy looked into Koori's eyes and nodded. Koori looked at the girl, but she was looking at the rope in front of Zhao and Koori which was burning upwards. Koori clasped the rope where it was burning and the flame was extinguished. Zhao grabbed Koori's shoulder and turned her around. They started to walk away and Koori saw the shadow of the girl running and grabbing the rope. She climbed up quickly and Zhao and Koori could hear the pounding of small feet on the wood.

Koori led Zhao to Kyuu and they returned to their camp to pack up and leave. They worked in silence and remounted Kyuu once they were done. Koori leaned her head against Zhao's shoulder and put her arms around his waist. She felt his hand on hers and felt safe again. She didn't know why, but she felt better around him.

Darkness started to overcome them and Koori felt Zhao slow Kyuu down. Finally, Zhao shook her as a warning to let him go and he jumped off as he felt Koori's weight lift off of him. Zhao reached up and took Koori off of the saddle. He set her down and Koori rubbed her eyes. They started to unpack again and Koori felt the air getting colder as the sun continued to go down. Koori and Zhao finished setting up the tent and started to search for firewood. They stayed close to the tent because they were still wary of strangers in the forest.

Zhao and Koori sat in front of their small fire as it got colder and colder. "Snow must be coming," Zhao stated. Koori looked up into the dark sky and then looked back at Zhao. He was staring at her through the fire and then gave a meek smile. Koori smiled back and tilted the pan of leftover jook.

"I have not seen snow that was white since my childhood," Koori said with a smile.

Zhao noticed the reference to the word white and put his elbows on his knees. He rested his head on his hands and then closed his eyes to take in the heat of the fire. Koori stood and emptied the rice into a container. They would use it the next night for the water. Koori rubbed the hot pan with a rag and smiled when it was clean. Zhao turned and then helped her to pack what they had.

Zhao zipped and tied the packs and then grabbed Koori by the waist. He hugged her and smelled her skin. She still smelled the same and he smiled. Koori's body had started to get warmer and rubbed his fingers through her hair. The same fiery smell that radiated from her skin and hair while he was still an Admiral penetrated his nostrils.

He smirked and Koori smiled once he left her go. Koori turned on her heel and went back to the fire. "I will be going to bed, Master," Koori said in a whisper.

Zhao nodded. "I will follow you shortly, Koori," he said in a smile. He watched Koori pull the tent open and then crawl inside. He heard her take her shoes off and then he heard the rustling of a sleeping bag as she opened it and entered. Zhao smiled to himself as he thought of the last night that they slept together.

He entered the tent about thirty minutes later and smiled at the little ball that she was sleeping in. Zhao could feel the warmth radiating from her body. He kneeled down and touched her soft face and noticed the knick that was there. It was a small cut, but Zhao felt anger rise in his stomach. He had never harmed her face before and he wanted to wring the boy's neck. He rubbed his finger across her cheek and she moved at his touch. Her hand moved and clasped itself around his own and Zhao pulled his sleeping bag over next to Koori. They hadn't slept next to each other since the raid on the Northern Water Tribe. He took off his boots slowly, then entered his sleeping bag and wrapped his arm around Koori. She moved closer to him for warmth and Zhao smirked. They were only a day away from Omashu and Zhao only hoped that the invasion of the Fire Nation would be a while away.

He closed his eyes and thought. In Ba Sing Se, there was a relative of Koori's which would be devastating for Zhao if he was discovered. In Omashu, there was a planned raid from the Fire Nation. The colonies were overrun with Fire Nation supporters and the village that Koori had originated from, which would have been the first place for them to go as outcasts, had been destroyed those thirteen years ago when he had first met Koori.

Zhao listened to the sounds of nature outside before he fell asleep. It had been a long time since he had camped outside periodically and he wondered if this would be their new life. He thought and then shook his head. His movement caused Koori to shift and he returned to his thinking.

He had a house. It was a glorious mansion that Koori had only been to when she was twelve. She probably didn't remember it, but he certainly did. He had only spent a week in it, and his plan was to retire in it. He thought of the red roof and brilliant red wood that was in his house as he drifted off to sleep.

Zhao woke up early in the morning and felt that his slave was no longer cuddled under him. He immediately burst through the sides of the tent and ran out into the white snow, barefoot. He had never bothered to take off his clothes and he started to scream for Koori.

"Koori!" he shouted, cupping his hands over his mouth. He looked frantically for footsteps and could only find his own and Koori's from the previous night. He looked for fresh footprints and then sighed as he felt her heat coming towards him. He rushed forward and embraced her. The sticks fell from her arms and she tried to push him away.

"Master," Koori said with a smile, "Why are you no wearing shoes?"

Zhao noticed and his feet started to steam, bringing heat back to his toes. He looked at Koori as she bent over to pick up her firewood. "Why were you walking out of the vicinity alone?" Zhao asked.

Koori smiled as she tossed him a stick. "Master, I was collecting firewood for breakfast. I thought that I was helping," she whispered. She bent over and grabbed a fist-full of snow. She melted it in her fingers and then grinned. "Snow, Master!"

He nodded and then headed back to the tent. He put on his boots and then came back out. The tent had started to curve under the strain of the snow and Zhao tried to brush off as much as he could. Koori was placing all of the sticks that she had gathered together into a little tent and lit it. The heat started to lure Zhao in and he sat down next to Koori on a small, green, waterproof blanket. They stared at the flames for a short while until Koori started to speak.

"We are only a day away from Omashu, correct?"

Zhao nodded. "We should be there sometime tonight."

"What if we have already invaded it?" Koori asked, fear in her voice.

"Then we shall continue to head west and go to a small village that I know of," Zhao said, rubbing his eyes.

Koori nodded. "That is where that house was, correct?"

Zhao's eyes fully opened. "You remember that?" he asked.

Koori played with the small red flames that the fire contained. "I remember that house because I cleaned every room of it and fell in love with the architecture. Why do we not go there immediately?"

Zhao looked at her while he pushed his hands behind his back on the blanket. "I don't know if that place is still under my name since nobody at the invasion survived. If I go back, there is a possibility that I would be treated as an outcast and be banished for my failure. The Fire Lord does not take failure lightly. He could possibly kill me, and then you would die as well."

Koori stared at the fire and smiled. "That place is on the border of the Earth Kingdom, and besides, I will never die, Master." Zhao looked at her and smirked.

**Please give me ideas! :(**


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